Turkey Meatloaf – Culinary Hill

There are few things more welcome than a generous slice of homemade Turkey Meatloaf. It’s easy to make, the leftovers are off-the-charts delicious, and no one at the table will miss the beef. Serve with mashed potatoes and extra ketchup at the table.

I love this recipe because it’s perfect for meal prep for a busy week ahead. It’s easy and it makes A LOT. When it comes to meatloaf, go big or go home.

In terms of taste, Turkey Meatloaf is anything but dull. Every single slice is moist, tender, and irresistible. Fresh out of the oven, I serve it hot with lots of mashed potatoes, baked mac and cheese, and a green salad for the best dinner ever. 

Recipe ingredients

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

• Ground turkey: Look for 93% lean ground turkey (99% lean will be too dry for meatloaf).
• Bread crumbs: It’s easy to make your own bread crumbs, and for the tastiest results, I highly recommend it. Or, substitute store-bought.
• Ketchup: Using a sauce like ketchup keeps the meatloaf moist. But, you could use a different sauce such as your favorite BBQ sauce, or bake the meatloaf plain and make a gravy or marinara sauce for serving.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onions, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook until the onions are translucent but not browned, about 15 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, chicken broth, and tomato paste. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

2. In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, bread crumbs, eggs, and cooled onion mixture. Mix well and shape into a rectangular loaf on an ungreased baking sheet. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. 

3. Bake until the internal temperature is 165 degrees and the meatloaf is cooked through, about 1 ½ hours. Serve hot, room temperature, or cold in a sandwich.

Recipe tips and variations

• Yield: This recipe makes 1 very large loaf of Turkey Meatloaf. You can get at least 10 slices out of it, more or less depending on how you cut it.
• Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: To freeze a baked Turkey Meatloaf, cool to room temperature, wrap well in foil, place in a sealed plastic freezer bag, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, remove the wrapping and place in the oven without thawing. Bake for about 1 ½ hours at 325 degrees. When cooking or reheating frozen meatloaf, always cook to 165 degrees when checked with an internal thermometer.
• Bacon-wrapped: Skip the ketchup and cover the meatloaf with slices of your favorite bacon, which cooks along with the loaf.
• Oats inside: Some cooks (my mom) swear by using old-fashioned rolled oats in their meatloaf. If you’re one of them, just omit the breadcrumbs and add an equal amount of rolled oats.
• Dried mushrooms: Got some dried mushrooms in the pantry? Rehydrate them and add them to the raw meat mix.
• Spicy: Add diced green chilies or pickled jalapeños to the meat. Then a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce into the ketchup topping.